1
This section allows you to view all posts made by this member. Note that you can only see posts made in areas you currently have access to.
Pages: [1]
2
Armed Forces / Re: 2nd Boer War Look Up - Polish/Austrian soldier Michal Jakuboski/Jacobowicz
« on: Wednesday 21 December 11 12:05 GMT (UK) »
Another reason I think he fought with the Boers was because not only were the volunteers Polish, but many were American too.
Here is some interesting anecdotes:
In February 1900 a group of fifty Americans arrived to join the Boers.
They had been organized by Irish societies in Massachusetts and Chicago.
To get official recognition from the American Red Cross, they had signed
affidavits that they were going to serve as non-combatants, but although
there were four doctors in the unit, the majority intended to take part in
the fighting. They were unlucky enough to arrive just in time to join the
Brigade (being the Irish Brigade - my words) as it retreated in front of
Roberts's massive advance. As soon as things got really bad some of the
men left for home, but the majority remained in Africa until late in 1900.
The last action in which they fought as a unit was during an unsuccessful
Boer attack at Bergendal in August 1900.
These were not the only Americans to fight for the Boers. Apart from those
who had joined the Irish Brigade, there were others who simply joined their
local commando. After Botha's Natal campaign, John Hassell, an American
who had been fighting with the Vryheid commando, formed a small unit of
American Scouts which was said by the Boers to be the strangest body of men
in the war. Howard Hilegas, a reporter for the New York World, wrote about
a Pennsylvanian, John King, who was working on the mines when the war
started. He and his best friend decided to fight in opposing armies. At
the battle of Spionkop, King the 'Boer', captured his 'British' friend and,
after a brief conversation and a farewell grasp of the hand, shot him dead.
Hilegas records that there were 300 Americans in the Boer army at various
times. The one most valued by the Boers (apart from Colonel Blake) was
Otto von Lossberg from Louisiana. He had received military training in
Germany, where he was born, and commanded the guns under Piet de Wet at
Sannah's Post, a crucial battle of the war.
Here is some interesting anecdotes:
In February 1900 a group of fifty Americans arrived to join the Boers.
They had been organized by Irish societies in Massachusetts and Chicago.
To get official recognition from the American Red Cross, they had signed
affidavits that they were going to serve as non-combatants, but although
there were four doctors in the unit, the majority intended to take part in
the fighting. They were unlucky enough to arrive just in time to join the
Brigade (being the Irish Brigade - my words) as it retreated in front of
Roberts's massive advance. As soon as things got really bad some of the
men left for home, but the majority remained in Africa until late in 1900.
The last action in which they fought as a unit was during an unsuccessful
Boer attack at Bergendal in August 1900.
These were not the only Americans to fight for the Boers. Apart from those
who had joined the Irish Brigade, there were others who simply joined their
local commando. After Botha's Natal campaign, John Hassell, an American
who had been fighting with the Vryheid commando, formed a small unit of
American Scouts which was said by the Boers to be the strangest body of men
in the war. Howard Hilegas, a reporter for the New York World, wrote about
a Pennsylvanian, John King, who was working on the mines when the war
started. He and his best friend decided to fight in opposing armies. At
the battle of Spionkop, King the 'Boer', captured his 'British' friend and,
after a brief conversation and a farewell grasp of the hand, shot him dead.
Hilegas records that there were 300 Americans in the Boer army at various
times. The one most valued by the Boers (apart from Colonel Blake) was
Otto von Lossberg from Louisiana. He had received military training in
Germany, where he was born, and commanded the guns under Piet de Wet at
Sannah's Post, a crucial battle of the war.
3
Armed Forces / Re: 2nd Boer War Look Up - Polish/Austrian soldier Michal Jakuboski/Jacobowicz
« on: Wednesday 21 December 11 11:59 GMT (UK) »
At around this time some of the early arrivals from Croatia established themselves as small employers of labour. In this connection Angelo Stipinovich gave work guarantees to the immigration authorities in Durban for Josip Vladislavic, who came from Brac. The same happened to Krsto Glavovic who worked for A. Lasic from Peljesac. Most of those who owned and ran the so-called "Kaffir eating-houses" had a few employees working for them. just before the First World War these were: F. Knezovic, M. Baleta, S. Vrdoljak, M. Spaleta, J. Knezovic, A. Mestrovic and so on. Then there was G. Miholovic, who had a dairy and employed others, L, Opotic a contractor, A. Vrnjas a farmer and Mato Vitkovic, reputed to be the first Croatian butcher on the Rand. However, most of them still made their living and contributions to this country deep underground in the gold mines of the Transvaal.
just at the end of the Boer War, having been refused an entry into South Africa, Filip Dicca, native of Mostar, landed at Lourenco Marques. This ordinary, but hard-working and clever man became one of the richest people in Mocambique. Some years after his arrival in Lourenco Marques he counted among his assets a brewery, leather tanning factory, plants making sparkling mineral water and non-alcoholic drinks, an import/ export company, two cinemas and a paper factory.
After his death in 1949, he was succeeded by his brother Petar, who expanded the business by adding to it a suitcase and cardboard box manufacturing unit, an alcohol distillery plant and a large dairy business. The Diccas were major cheese manufacturers in Mocambique and at one time supplied about 12% of all milk in that country. They were also substantial landowners, major importers of wine from Portugal and held a franchise for the importing of Remy Martin (French) cognac.
From the business proceeds the Dicca Trust was formed, from which a number of students benefited as recipients of bursaries. Needless to say, other worthy causes were not overlooked either. In this way the Diccas tried to repay Mocambique for all that they had earned and gained there.
In Rhodesia at this time most of the Croatian immigrants worked as masons and builders. A few were prospectors, one bad a farm, but the number of those who worked as miners was actually small.
Perhaps a typical case was that of Frank Juretic from Grobnik near Rijeka. He first came to the Transvaal in 1897. Throughout the Boer War he served as a policeman on the Boer side. He went back home in 1901 but a few years later returned to Southern Africa. In 1912 he arrived in what used to be Southern Rhodesia (Zimbabwe). He was a carpenter by trade but apart from working in his profession be became the owner of two gold mining claims, one in Sinoia and another in Shamwa. For Frank Juretic the future looked reasonably rosy, but unfortunately at the start of the First World War he was interned as an Austrian subject, As a result he could not perform even a minimum amount of work on his mining claims and, according to law, he lost them. He still survived and having gone through three wars in Southern Africa he died in 1946 in Ndola, Zambia. He left a son, also Frank, who became a well-known personality in Copper Belt mining circles immediately before and particularly after the Second World War.
just at the end of the Boer War, having been refused an entry into South Africa, Filip Dicca, native of Mostar, landed at Lourenco Marques. This ordinary, but hard-working and clever man became one of the richest people in Mocambique. Some years after his arrival in Lourenco Marques he counted among his assets a brewery, leather tanning factory, plants making sparkling mineral water and non-alcoholic drinks, an import/ export company, two cinemas and a paper factory.
After his death in 1949, he was succeeded by his brother Petar, who expanded the business by adding to it a suitcase and cardboard box manufacturing unit, an alcohol distillery plant and a large dairy business. The Diccas were major cheese manufacturers in Mocambique and at one time supplied about 12% of all milk in that country. They were also substantial landowners, major importers of wine from Portugal and held a franchise for the importing of Remy Martin (French) cognac.
From the business proceeds the Dicca Trust was formed, from which a number of students benefited as recipients of bursaries. Needless to say, other worthy causes were not overlooked either. In this way the Diccas tried to repay Mocambique for all that they had earned and gained there.
In Rhodesia at this time most of the Croatian immigrants worked as masons and builders. A few were prospectors, one bad a farm, but the number of those who worked as miners was actually small.
Perhaps a typical case was that of Frank Juretic from Grobnik near Rijeka. He first came to the Transvaal in 1897. Throughout the Boer War he served as a policeman on the Boer side. He went back home in 1901 but a few years later returned to Southern Africa. In 1912 he arrived in what used to be Southern Rhodesia (Zimbabwe). He was a carpenter by trade but apart from working in his profession be became the owner of two gold mining claims, one in Sinoia and another in Shamwa. For Frank Juretic the future looked reasonably rosy, but unfortunately at the start of the First World War he was interned as an Austrian subject, As a result he could not perform even a minimum amount of work on his mining claims and, according to law, he lost them. He still survived and having gone through three wars in Southern Africa he died in 1946 in Ndola, Zambia. He left a son, also Frank, who became a well-known personality in Copper Belt mining circles immediately before and particularly after the Second World War.
4
Armed Forces / Re: 2nd Boer War Look Up - Polish/Austrian soldier Michal Jakuboski/Jacobowicz
« on: Wednesday 21 December 11 11:57 GMT (UK) »
When all this was over, most of them moved to Johannesburg to join the considerable force of other Croatian miners, who were already working in the Rand mines, Some of them even came from the United States, men like Nikola Primic who, with eight other Croats, was sent to sink mine shafts in South Africa. There they experienced and saw it all - the working under difficult conditions and dying as a result of it. They were there with the Beits, Wernhers, Rhodeses, Robinsons and Barnatos.
They witnessed their triumphs, their politics, their Jameson Raid and the rise and full of their dreams and planned empires. And then the Boer - or the South African - War came.
They liked old President Kruger and his republic; and as they were not interested in politics, they cared little whether they could vote or not.
Even their folk at home in Croatia showed their sympathy for the Boer cause during the war. As witness to this one can still find in South Africa specially printed postcards that came from Zagreb and other Croatian towns and that were addressed to President Kruger. On one of them there was a printed picture of President Kruger and a poem. Translated into English the little poem/message read, approximately:
"Croatian greetings to the Boer Heroes,
Croatian greetings to you proud heroes
The fighters for freedom of your homeland.
May your arms be blessed by the rays of fortune.
Through it may the freedom sunshine come upon you.
Long live the Boers and their leader,
President Paul Kruger."
On this occasion the card came to Pretoria on the March 19th, 1902 and was posted in a town called Sisak by a young schoolboy, Josip Snaric.
The Croats in South Africa fought in the Boer forces, served as mine - and ordinary - policemen and were very disappointed when in the end the Boers lost the war.
By 1904 some had already become small traders, like Miho and Julius Kuculo from Peljesac who owned a store in Pilgrims Rest. When the latter died in the 1920s his death certificate described him as a "store and gold mine owner".
They witnessed their triumphs, their politics, their Jameson Raid and the rise and full of their dreams and planned empires. And then the Boer - or the South African - War came.
They liked old President Kruger and his republic; and as they were not interested in politics, they cared little whether they could vote or not.
Even their folk at home in Croatia showed their sympathy for the Boer cause during the war. As witness to this one can still find in South Africa specially printed postcards that came from Zagreb and other Croatian towns and that were addressed to President Kruger. On one of them there was a printed picture of President Kruger and a poem. Translated into English the little poem/message read, approximately:
"Croatian greetings to the Boer Heroes,
Croatian greetings to you proud heroes
The fighters for freedom of your homeland.
May your arms be blessed by the rays of fortune.
Through it may the freedom sunshine come upon you.
Long live the Boers and their leader,
President Paul Kruger."
On this occasion the card came to Pretoria on the March 19th, 1902 and was posted in a town called Sisak by a young schoolboy, Josip Snaric.
The Croats in South Africa fought in the Boer forces, served as mine - and ordinary - policemen and were very disappointed when in the end the Boers lost the war.
By 1904 some had already become small traders, like Miho and Julius Kuculo from Peljesac who owned a store in Pilgrims Rest. When the latter died in the 1920s his death certificate described him as a "store and gold mine owner".
5
Armed Forces / Re: 2nd Boer War Look Up - Polish/Austrian soldier Michal Jakuboski/Jacobowicz
« on: Wednesday 21 December 11 11:56 GMT (UK) »
Jeronim Marinkovic who came to this country more than 70 years later chose a different type of life. He, as is known, became a farmer - not an easy profession in those days. However, after marrying, with hard work and perseverance he established his farm "Vrolykheid", which is still very much in existence. Already in 1865 he was writing to the Colonial Secretary to inquire about the acquisition of another farm, for which he paid £31.2.8 as surveying expenses. He and his family prospered and their present status in this country is very much due to the pioneering work of Gerolamo Marinkovic, their great-grandfather, who arrived in Cape Town in 1829, with not much more than a lot of energy and willingness to work hard. This feature was displayed by many arrivals from Croatia in the years to come.
Then there were known and unknown sailors, who plied the seas around South Africa. People like Captain Vicenzo Zibilich, Captain Gabriel Francisco Madenic, boatman Paul Mattowich and others who directly or indirectly made their contributions to this country.
It seems that Nicholaas Mattowich, who in the early 1860s became a dealer in liquors in Cape Town, was the first Croat to have owned an inn (the Blue Anchor Inn) in the Cape Colony and therefore in South Africa.
However, most of the early to mid 19th Century arrivals worked as seamen or, more often, as farm labourers. With the advent of the railways some decided to try their skills there and just about every railway line that was built in South Africa and Rhodesia attracted workers from Croatia.
There were no engineers and clever constructors among them. They just performed the basic work in the best way they could. In doing this they contributed in no small way to the growth of the railways in South Africa. Some time later an Austrian company was asked to do construction work in Cape Town harbour; and almost all the people brought to do the work there were from Croatia.
In his well-known work "Croatians Abroad" (Hrvati Izvan Domovine) the author, V. Holjevac, displayed an early photograph of Croatian workers working in what was believed to be Cape Town harbour.
The South African mining era, which started with the discovery of diamonds in Kimberley, created a situation in which further contributions by the Croats were made possible. One should perhaps ask here: "How much does one value a human life?" Surely in an ordinary sense no price can be attached to it. However, like others, the Croats worked in the Kimberley mines and a number of them left their bones there. Nearly all those who died in the diamond mines were young men aged between 20 and 30. Some of them managed to reach Kimberley Hospital and some died in the mine shafts. Nearly 100 years ago in 1882, Tripo Vucinovic ended his life in an accident in one of the shafts belonging to the famous French Company.
When the gold started to glisten at Pilgrims Rest, Barberton and later on in Johannesburg, they followed the others and went to work there. Perhaps the most prominent of the known early miners was Andrew Lizerevic. He must have come to South Africa well before 1867, as when he died in 1877 in Pilgrims Rest the Imperial Austrian Consulate informed the executors of his Will that Stefano Marco Lizerevic, the deceased's father, had died back home in 1867. His mother had passed on in 1872. He had his own house in Pilgrims Rest and left some mining claims and £150 in cash. He was a "gold digger", a profession unlikely to have originated in Croatia but something that he had acquired in South Africa, He and others like him created the saga of Pilgrims Rest, the saga that heralded the beginning of South Africa's golden future.
The Barberton gold rush came and went and with it, literally, some of the Croats who ventured there. Then came the building of the Eastern Railway Line between Pretoria and Delagoa Bay, and the work-hungry Croats joined the other railway construction workers there.
Some who could not do much else did physical construction work, some made their mark as masons, bricklayers and stone cutters. As small contractors, like the brothers Postic, they built some of the railway stations, They worked there and they lost their lives there. among others, at the age of 37, Ivan Moporic died on March 20th 1891. The place of death was recorded as Komati Spoorweg (Komati Railway).
Then there were known and unknown sailors, who plied the seas around South Africa. People like Captain Vicenzo Zibilich, Captain Gabriel Francisco Madenic, boatman Paul Mattowich and others who directly or indirectly made their contributions to this country.
It seems that Nicholaas Mattowich, who in the early 1860s became a dealer in liquors in Cape Town, was the first Croat to have owned an inn (the Blue Anchor Inn) in the Cape Colony and therefore in South Africa.
However, most of the early to mid 19th Century arrivals worked as seamen or, more often, as farm labourers. With the advent of the railways some decided to try their skills there and just about every railway line that was built in South Africa and Rhodesia attracted workers from Croatia.
There were no engineers and clever constructors among them. They just performed the basic work in the best way they could. In doing this they contributed in no small way to the growth of the railways in South Africa. Some time later an Austrian company was asked to do construction work in Cape Town harbour; and almost all the people brought to do the work there were from Croatia.
In his well-known work "Croatians Abroad" (Hrvati Izvan Domovine) the author, V. Holjevac, displayed an early photograph of Croatian workers working in what was believed to be Cape Town harbour.
The South African mining era, which started with the discovery of diamonds in Kimberley, created a situation in which further contributions by the Croats were made possible. One should perhaps ask here: "How much does one value a human life?" Surely in an ordinary sense no price can be attached to it. However, like others, the Croats worked in the Kimberley mines and a number of them left their bones there. Nearly all those who died in the diamond mines were young men aged between 20 and 30. Some of them managed to reach Kimberley Hospital and some died in the mine shafts. Nearly 100 years ago in 1882, Tripo Vucinovic ended his life in an accident in one of the shafts belonging to the famous French Company.
When the gold started to glisten at Pilgrims Rest, Barberton and later on in Johannesburg, they followed the others and went to work there. Perhaps the most prominent of the known early miners was Andrew Lizerevic. He must have come to South Africa well before 1867, as when he died in 1877 in Pilgrims Rest the Imperial Austrian Consulate informed the executors of his Will that Stefano Marco Lizerevic, the deceased's father, had died back home in 1867. His mother had passed on in 1872. He had his own house in Pilgrims Rest and left some mining claims and £150 in cash. He was a "gold digger", a profession unlikely to have originated in Croatia but something that he had acquired in South Africa, He and others like him created the saga of Pilgrims Rest, the saga that heralded the beginning of South Africa's golden future.
The Barberton gold rush came and went and with it, literally, some of the Croats who ventured there. Then came the building of the Eastern Railway Line between Pretoria and Delagoa Bay, and the work-hungry Croats joined the other railway construction workers there.
Some who could not do much else did physical construction work, some made their mark as masons, bricklayers and stone cutters. As small contractors, like the brothers Postic, they built some of the railway stations, They worked there and they lost their lives there. among others, at the age of 37, Ivan Moporic died on March 20th 1891. The place of death was recorded as Komati Spoorweg (Komati Railway).
6
Armed Forces / Re: 2nd Boer War Look Up - Polish/Austrian soldier Michal Jakuboski/Jacobowicz
« on: Wednesday 21 December 11 11:54 GMT (UK) »
THEY GAINED BUT THEY ALSO GAVE
Some of the contributions to Southern Africa - Past and present
Two and a quarter centuries of Croatian presence in Southern Africa is a very long time indeed. The reasons for their coming to the country are now known. As a post scriptum to the story, however, an attempt should be made to describe their contributions, not only to South Africa but also to the Rhodesias and Mocambique.
Fifteen years ago, during a B.B.C. television interview, a well-known Hungarian-born British public figure was asked how he could reconcile the fact that he was such an important citizen of Britain and yet be proud of his Hungarian origin. He replied: "You see I have no problem of divided loyalties. Hungary is my mother and Britain my wife. The first brought me into this world and the second I have willingly chosen as a partner for life."
Perhaps the Croatian presence in this part of the world and their contributions to South Africa should be viewed in a similar, if not the same, light.
Not much is known of the activities of the first arrivals more than 220 years ago. However, it seems that both Franciscus Drago and josip Ciganb@ settled well in Cape Town. Their Last Wills and Testaments show that they were in possession of some property and had more than fair financial means at their disposal, Having received burghership rights, it seems they became respected citizens, enjoying the fruits of their work and their earlier service with the Dutch East India Company.
Some of the contributions to Southern Africa - Past and present
Two and a quarter centuries of Croatian presence in Southern Africa is a very long time indeed. The reasons for their coming to the country are now known. As a post scriptum to the story, however, an attempt should be made to describe their contributions, not only to South Africa but also to the Rhodesias and Mocambique.
Fifteen years ago, during a B.B.C. television interview, a well-known Hungarian-born British public figure was asked how he could reconcile the fact that he was such an important citizen of Britain and yet be proud of his Hungarian origin. He replied: "You see I have no problem of divided loyalties. Hungary is my mother and Britain my wife. The first brought me into this world and the second I have willingly chosen as a partner for life."
Perhaps the Croatian presence in this part of the world and their contributions to South Africa should be viewed in a similar, if not the same, light.
Not much is known of the activities of the first arrivals more than 220 years ago. However, it seems that both Franciscus Drago and josip Ciganb@ settled well in Cape Town. Their Last Wills and Testaments show that they were in possession of some property and had more than fair financial means at their disposal, Having received burghership rights, it seems they became respected citizens, enjoying the fruits of their work and their earlier service with the Dutch East India Company.
7
Armed Forces / Re: 2nd Boer War Look Up - Polish/Austrian soldier Michal Jakuboski/Jacobowicz
« on: Wednesday 21 December 11 11:51 GMT (UK) »
(@Kathleen. I contacted you on facebook to add you to the group)
I will paste some info about the Polish in South Africa here.
Famous Polish captain, Leo Pokrowski
His monument can be seen here:
http://www.amajubaexperience.co.za/Utrecht/dutchreformchurch.htm
To get an idea of the Foreign Volunteers:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boer_foreign_volunteers
Excerpt from a book:
The book is divided into two parts. The first, "In the crucible of war", is an anecdotal account of the participation of the Russian volunteers in the South African War. Estimates put the number of foreign volunteers who fought for the Boers at roughly 2500, of whom 225 were "Russians". These numbers are disputable, because the Boer republics registered volunteers only during the first two months of the war. No complete list of names of the Russian volunteers exists. Fewer than 50 of them are known by name (p. 45). All "Russian" volunteers were not ethnic Russians. Many of them were Jewish emigres from Russia, who had come to the Transvaal before the war (p. 50). Others came from the Baltic states or parts of Eastern Europe (pp. 49,50,56). Both staunch monarchists and future Bolsheviks were among the volunteers. - http://www.h-net.org/reviews/showrev.php?id=2919
I will paste some info about the Polish in South Africa here.
Famous Polish captain, Leo Pokrowski
His monument can be seen here:
http://www.amajubaexperience.co.za/Utrecht/dutchreformchurch.htm
To get an idea of the Foreign Volunteers:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boer_foreign_volunteers
Excerpt from a book:
The book is divided into two parts. The first, "In the crucible of war", is an anecdotal account of the participation of the Russian volunteers in the South African War. Estimates put the number of foreign volunteers who fought for the Boers at roughly 2500, of whom 225 were "Russians". These numbers are disputable, because the Boer republics registered volunteers only during the first two months of the war. No complete list of names of the Russian volunteers exists. Fewer than 50 of them are known by name (p. 45). All "Russian" volunteers were not ethnic Russians. Many of them were Jewish emigres from Russia, who had come to the Transvaal before the war (p. 50). Others came from the Baltic states or parts of Eastern Europe (pp. 49,50,56). Both staunch monarchists and future Bolsheviks were among the volunteers. - http://www.h-net.org/reviews/showrev.php?id=2919
8
Armed Forces / Re: 2nd Boer War Look Up - Polish/Austrian soldier Michal Jakuboski/Jacobowicz
« on: Wednesday 07 December 11 01:10 GMT (UK) »
Hi Kathleen,
I would be interested to see the article. I am not aware that the British recruited the Polish. What i do know is that many Polish fought on the Boer side against the British. Chances are he was part of the foreign contingent of Boer volunteers.
If you want more info you can contact me. We have many experts and historians on facebook. The group is called The Anglo-Boer War (South African War) 1899 -1902
Or you can email me on facebook by finding my name.
Regards,
Henri
I would be interested to see the article. I am not aware that the British recruited the Polish. What i do know is that many Polish fought on the Boer side against the British. Chances are he was part of the foreign contingent of Boer volunteers.
If you want more info you can contact me. We have many experts and historians on facebook. The group is called The Anglo-Boer War (South African War) 1899 -1902
Or you can email me on facebook by finding my name.
Regards,
Henri
Pages: [1]